could I use one of these to get the line level needed from my sure sm7 dynamic microphone to go into my golden age tube compressor? it wants a "line level" input signal
@@divinityvrms6743 This question sent me down an unexpected rabbit hole, yet I emerged not much more knowledgable than I was before. First of all, the Cloudlifter appears to be a preamp, but it's phantom powered, so I'm unsure it can provide enough gain to bring your mic up to line-level. I believe what you're looking for is a powered mic preamp, but for the sake of the life of your compressor, I HIGHLY recommend that you consult Golden Age Products as they would be able to provide you the best practices in your compressor's use.
@@xeroexistence Just to clarify this for you : this pre-amp isn't made to be used with microphones requiring phantom-power. It's specifically made to boost either low-gain dynamic microphones such as the SM7b, or ribbon microphones in digital recording facilities. This is mostly used when you have to run long cables in excess of 100 feet, or when using a sub-par mixer or interface that doesn't give you enough gain before starting to sound noisy. Basically what this does is phantom-powering *itself* - it doesn't phantom-power the microphone. It is made to be used with *passive* microphones. It gives a boost of around +25dB without adding noise or very little - this noise being mostly caused by non-insulated power in project studios and uncontrolled environments. Basically, the phantom-power is used to boost the signal of a passive microphone rather than powering an active microphone, and it works! I myself used a King Sound DI injecting phantom power "into" a passive microphone to get similar results :) This is unconventional for sure but it does wonders when used the right way, since you gain much of the gain of a condenser but reject the noises of an uncontrolled environment easily.
Jas Bataille Yeah, I was definitely mistaken at the time. I should have known better about the SM7B. Lol. It's interesting that, how you put it, it "phantom powers itself," though it makes perfect sense, and that's pretty cool. : ) Thanks for the clarification!
I have that combo. The real benefit of the Cloudlifter with an SM7B is appreciated when you want to use the SM7B with a preamp that either doesn't have enough gain or doesn't have a low enough noise floor. For spoken word voice-over it may not make a huge difference, but with stacked vocals in a mix it does.
Just going to get a cloudlifter! Your video helped me make the call! For my setup, too much noise without it, and even at full gain on my Scarlett 2i2, barely can get a signal with my SM7B. I have to practically eat the mic to get a decent sound without messing a lot with the recording.
You didnt hear bass, the noise level being very low with cloudlifter which consist high end frequencies as soon as the noise clears out u can hear the original sound of sm7b
Not a lot of difference when using the first interface, but when you swapped to the older zoom with less gain there was a huge difference in adding the cloud lifter
this demonstration was fantastic. your videos are clear, concise, and excellently put together. thank you, kind sir for this glorious contribution to the internet.
I was surprised how subtle the difference is. There's a little more bass and presence with the Cloudlifter; it sounds a bit more EQ'd. But I feel like could replicate that in the box on the non-Cloudlifter. Great video, thanks!
Yup, for sure the cloud lifter adds some EQ and presence that could be added afterwards but I have to say it has been a game changer for me recording these podcasts in none ideal environments with some guests that are unfamiliar with how to talk into these mics. But I’m sure you have amazing pre’s at your disposal to circumvent the noise. Thanks for watching Shawn!
Guys, an important note I feel is missed here, because wasn't mentioned enough is the gain difference. As javier showed, the 60 points difference in the second check is massive, and consider getting a cloudlifter to avoid Gain problems, with every audio-interface and preamp you'll use. Great new year people!
It's either the low-cost cloud lifter or crazy expensive preamps. I remember when it came out like ten years ago it was unique for not adding any colour to the sound, The preamps could do it but it wasn't as clean, they add saturation etc.
@@JavierMercedes Good sir. I am pleased to announce that the CloudLift, definitely came through. Your review sealed the deal and I have the CloudLift up and running! Subscribed!
Awesome comparison Javier, this really helps illustrate how big of a difference something like this makes to a recording 👍 I bought a Fethead for my h4n setup a few years back, and I used to have so many recordings cranked up almost to 100, but now I'm at a much lower volume where I don't have to deal with the insane hiss from the h4n's preamps.
Kelarys you won’t be disappointed then, sometimes the cloudlifter isn’t necessary, but if you are like me - I just want things to work the way they are supposed to and get to creating. Not worrying about whether or not the levels sound great removes that much of friction in the creation process for me that it has been worth the purchase.
The vocal without the Cloudlifter sounded thinner to me, I love the more present low end response in the vocal with the Cloudlifter. Even if it may seem excessive to some, a low cut would help to tame any excess low end leaving you with a more upfront sound. I have the Shure SM7B running through a ISA One into a 2i2 but for a more portable solution I'm looking to get the Cloudlifter. The background noise seemed significantly lower with the Cloudlifter as well, is that due to it being a smaller piece of equipment utilizing less mechanisms that create noise or is it due to other factors? I think this video sealed the deal for me! I appreciate the content my dude, peace!
Glad I could help Nathan, I still use my cloudlifter whenever I can, to me it just adds a little something. But I understand to those that would want to just add more eq in post. This video was just to showcase what the recording sounds like with and without it.
Quite a massive difference, was easy clocking it was B from how much richer/bassier your voice sounds with the Cloudlifter on it. I ended up getting a Soyuz Launcher for my SM7B so I'm super looking forward to trying it head to head with my own voice & seeing how it stacks up :) Heard a lot of good things about that thing and it plain looks cool.
It was interesting to hear how much cleaner the H6 preamp is than the H4N. The cloudlifter really didn’t make much of an audible difference with the H6, but it made a big difference with the H4N.
SHEESH, finally. thank you. someone who actually went through the trouble of doing it rather just cavalierly shutting down no cloudlifter. I've already made the choice and purchased but good content deserves shoutouts so super well done keep pushing you deserve much, much more.
I went back and forth, but yesterday I bought the cloud lifter. This video makes me glad that I did! Thanks for it! Hopefully will help some of the new content I'm planning on my channel.
I run a SM7B with a Cloudlifter and a DBX 286s noise gate - It just works SO great in my primary studio! I am getting a second SM7B and of course, a Cloudlifter is standard kit for the SM7B ;>)
@@JavierMercedes - It sure does - I have a deep bass voice and it just rolls like butter with that setup ;>) Like your channel - Just subbed! You do some great testing and I'm always up for learning new techniques and checking out new gear ;>)
@@fatihakturko doubt it honestly, it entirely depends what you are running through, the cloudlifter has -128 ein and it will basically replace the current noise floor of your audio interface.
Subtle difference. Cloudlifter makes it deeper, smoother, clearer and louder. And gents: exceptional quality is in these kind of subtle details! Need no more reviews. I'll get that item.
The sound difference is fairly subtle, but there's more clarity with the Cloudlifter and it sounds more well-rounded, and you've got a lot more headroom. You're far more likely to reach distortion without, with the gain cranked that high; with the Cloudlifter you have a lot more room to increase volume if for some reason you think you need to. Besides, if we can avoid cranking the gain the better overall for all parties involved. Lol.
Hey! Thanks for the video. I think that, overall, I really liked both recordings. However, again it depends on the use. I think that the test with the cloudlifter might be helpful and sounds better in terms of pure vocals/speaking like for podcasts, radio, gaming etc. However, when it comes to singing, I tend to prefer the sound of a shure SM7B, without the cloudlifter. But that's just my personal opinion! Thanks again. (sorry for any potential mistakes, I'm french)
Its like you're in my head. I am stuGGling with the sound on my podcast and ive wondered about getting a cloudlifter... but havent pulled the trigger. Im trying to make sure i have the best possible configuration and levels, And then make the call. But thanks for the info! Much appreciated.
I'd say make sure you have the other things in place solid about the podcast before you make more investments to gear. If you have traction already and know you are going to get a lot of use out of the cloudlifter than I think it would be worth the investment. But even putting the rode close to you or your subject and talking directly into camera may work for now. thanks for watching Jay!
1:47 "that's way too loud". Yes, but this is not a problem at all. This is the gain a dynamic mic needs. The cloudlifter is good but if you are out of budget don't waste your money buying cloudlifter. You only need three things: 1. a Mic 2. A good cable 3. a Recorder or audio interface.
Great review, a lot of people will be searching for stuff like this but again as you said at the end nobody really compains about plosives and other things or would care SM58 versus SM7B if your content is engaging.
For sure, some of the best podcasters out there started out recording in their cars with the iPhone ear buds, but if what you have to say is relevant it will trump the audio anytime...just is nice to have the added benefit of better sounding audio :) thanks for watching Kumar!
Stop making me buy stuff! Haha, just kidding, I’ve had my eye on a Cloudlifter for a while. Using SM58 mics into a Zoom H4n Pro here. I record most of my podcasts using a Mackie ProFX8v2 and send the signal to the H4n Pro and it enables me to keep the levels low on the Zoom but when I do anything on location I’d rather not take the mixer and I recently discovered how high I have to set the levels without the board. Thanks for sharing this, Javier!
In a controlled environment, you’ll have no problem gaining a 7B straight from your Zoom. In post we do a little noise removal and gain about +10. Any other environment with background won’t get the same effect, and that’s when you want to invest in a Cloudlifter
I don’t understand why modern interfaces don’t have input selections for different microphone impedances. I never have any input gain issues using SM7B or RE20 etc connected to vintage mixers or broadcast consoles.
After listening to the difference with no headphones and with Beyerdynamic headphones I personally don't hear a $150 difference. I currently have a Focusrite Scarlett Solo and don't think I need it due to the fact that I'll have more than enough gain with the microphone. The cloud lifter makes the sound seem a bit more "clean" but not as much as I originally thought it would. I'm going to go with the Cloudlifter not being an essential item for now and if need be I can get one later. Thanks for the video!
@@rvs8465 I ended up getting another mic since i couldn't find the Shure SM7b anywhere. The results are still pretty good I have a few videos up on my page for an example if you'd like.
When I cranked it up, I could definitely hear the hiss of the mic without the Cloudlifter. What I don't understand is how exactly the Cloudlifter does it's magic. Is there a battery inside?
Hey your low cut switch is on with the one without the cloudlifter. The lack of clarity in the low end was the only thing I noticed in most cases and I feel like that's the reason.
Im def going to cop a pre for the sm7b after watching this. I did come across another brand tho, the FETHEAD. Would be nice to see a comparison between the two. Which would you recommend? Thanks!
Awesome vid mate! Just learned about this amazing Mic. Saw from one video where this guy said that you don't really need the cloud lifter... It's all about how close you go to the mic. Is this correct?
I'm using a SE DM1 DYNAMITE it has a 25 DB gain. I'm using it with a Cr 77. The people saying they don't see the different. They're missing the point. The use is in gain in DB and filtering. With less movement in the dial, which equals less hiss and gain in clarity. VOLUME at less movement in the dial. Cleaner then condense mics also.
This is literally the exact video I needed! Quick question, the SMB 7 sounds terrible without the cloud lifter as you have shown in this video, but why does my road NTG2 sound so good with my zoom h4n? Is it because of that little battery that it has in the mic?
The purpose of the cloudlifter is to reduce the noise level. It does not make sense when you ask which setup sounds better - with or without cloudlifter. Instead of talking to microphone you’d better be silent and compare the noise levels instead. Decision of wether or not using cloudlifter should be based on how noisy your audio interface is at high gain. In your case, the cloudlifter may be useful because Zoom interfaces are notorious for being noisy at high gain which you have to set when using dynamic microphone. The cloudlifter allows you reducing Zoom gain and therefore increasing signal to noise ratio.
🤔 So, I totally agree with using a Cloudlifter or FetHead when the noise floor isn't that low. The H4N has what an EIN of -115 dBu? The H6 has -120 dBU. But do you think there's any real benefit for the cost with something like the F4/F8 that have -127 dBu?
Joshua Verwers nope, I used the F8 with the SM7B going directly into it for many podcasts back when I was the engineer of theCHIVE podcast. Sounded and worked like a charm without the cloud lifter. I’d say it’s comparable to how the h6 sounds here. It’s not necessary but nice. And the f8 is zoom’s top of the line field recorder so I think it has the gusto to get the job done sans any cloudlifter.
@@JavierMercedes okay, that's refreshing to know. I don't really need all that comes with the F8, but for the price of even a couple Zoom H recorders (for redundancy) and cloud lifters, I can get a new F4 which has most of the best parts of the F8 for half the price. 👍🏻
I don't get it. If the preamp's job is to bring an electronic voltage up to line-level why would one need a Cloudlifter? If the preamp is "strong" enough to bring up the SM7B's voltage to line-level, then is the signal digitally gained by the computer worse than a signal pre-gained by the Cloudlifter? It didn't seem that you did that test. To compare audio using the Cloudlifter with a weak preamp, against the weak-preamp without it, seems irrelevant because isn't the same as having a recorder with a good-preamp to begin with? Further, I didn't understand the phantom voltage benefit. Isn't phantom voltage only used in condenser mics NOT dynamic mics, of which the SM7B is one. And if you're calling phantom power the power that drives the Cloudlifter than isn't the concept of phantom power being mangled (that is, you're calling pre-amp power phantom power)? It seems to me the weakness of dynamic mics is they need enough sound pressure to create voltage. One needs to be close to the mic. They are not forgiving like condenser mics. So seems to me that the cloudlifter simply makes the SM7B more like a condenser mic for weak preamp equipment. So if that is the case, why not just get a condenser to begin with? Or talk close to the SM7B and always use a good preamp/recorder? Again, I'm no expert. But seems to me, the Cloudlifter is more wish-fulfillment than what I'd call real equipment. I wouldn't expect it to create a better signal. If it did, what do they know that preamp designers don't? It only creates a more usable one with weak equipment. You don't seem to have weak equipment, so not sure what you're trying to achieve?
Lots in this comment, I like your thinking on the “turning the SM7B into a condenser” concept. On the topic of weak pre-amps. I had the same thoughts as you before testing out the cloudlifter. My H6 sounds fine after recording 150 podcasts in a plethora of environments - how could this make it sound better if the gain nob if just turned to 4 instead of 7-6? And if you can’t hear a difference in the example with my h6 then really there is no reason to get a cloudlifter. But I was skeptical until I heard the references back to back and my mind was blown. The signal from the cloudlifter is colored a tad but I think in an amazing way. The other thing is the noise floor. After doing a number of podcasts with the cloudlifter I noticed that I don’t have to add as much noise reduction in post and I don’t have to work as hard to get the mic to bite down on the source. Which leads us back to condenser mic comment, I could use condensers and until I tested it I can’t say which way would be better but my opinion would be that I would get way too much room in my sound. I need the proximity effect from the dynamic mic to help isolate the signal source. The h6 is a great recorder and life would be great in ideal world if I could use an even more expensive pre all the time for my content, but I am constantly on the road filming and having a setup that doesn’t require a wall port is more important to me as the consumer. Thus I will still use my h6 now with the cloudlifter. Also me speculating with the phantom power bit, but I’m sure there are electronics within the cloudlifter that require phantom in order for it to work. Condenser mics are not the only thing that require phantom power, high end DI boxes like the ones made Radial also require phantom power to operate correctly if a recall. I hope that helps, like I said if the difference in sound isn’t even noticeable than there is no need to talk specs, but to me it’s the intangibles of A/B testing and just saying “huh, that sounds better than I thought it was going to” And not having to work as hard in post also is a plus for me
@@JavierMercedes Like others who have commented, if you say, "this is what I use for my podcasts", then you had me at "this is what I use..."! I guess my quibble with the video was that it tried to test differences of overall quality which I believe do not exist. That is, for low sound pressure voice work, the cloudlifter optimizes the SM7B's signal before the pre-amp. It doesn't improve the signal in accuracy, it improves the signal through what we might call 'voice coloring'. LIke you say, it saves you time in post. That's would be worth a few hundred dollars to me! My guess is that Shure optimized the hardware of this microphone for singing, not the spoken word (no podcasts back then!). And if someone was talking into it, instead of singing, like for radio, they were professionals who knew how to get the best out of the mic. I watch some of your videos and marvel and how you get good audio when someone is leaning back and generally moving out of that mic's range (IMHO). So yes, I agree with you that a condenser could improve that aspect but would give you another set of problems to deal with. And again, what you get out of those SM7Bs! Sweet! I guess, in the end, what I was trying to say is be careful going down that testing/comparing route with equipment. Too many people believe in free-lunches, or believe the manufacturer made a mistake which someone else fixed. The Cloudlifter doesn't fix the SM7B, in my opinion; it only make a set of trade-offs one needs to very specific applications. A cloudlifter may be great for the spoken word, but what it does to the coloring and noise floor is probably (my guess) a negative if you used the mic to record an electric guitar, say. So, again, just my little opinion, if you were to do this type of video again I would make sure to present both the positives and negatives of the equipment and how you chose a certain configuration for your needs and how it would also might be a negative in other applications. You don't want one of your viewers to buy a Cloudlifter because they think it makes the SM7B better, in general. Right? Does that make sense? So maybe the title could be "Comparing the Shure SM7B with and without a CloudLifter for Portable Podcast Recording"
The cloudlifter is what, 100 bucks? That to me is a very cost effective way to get 'clean gain' out of the SM7B. A cost effective way to turn this iconic dynamic mic, into a 'condenser capable' sounding mic if that makes sense. It seems to assist in helping vocalists not have to exert unnecessary energy, which has its own array of benefits. Sure, the coloring may add work for the engineer, but it seems to be easy work as a slight low end eq cut would mostly negate the coloring the cloudlifter adds, as it adds a bit of bass simply put. Much easier carving those frequencies than trying to cut the noise out of a mix. Just my 2 cents. And to your question, why wouldnt one just get a condenser to begin with? Maybe the SM7B was all they had? In that case the cloudlifter makes perfect sense. Cloudlifter also to me, gives that added radio 'podcast' sound naturally. And I wont even start on the benefits of condenser vs dynamic. I have both types, and will still be buying a cloudlifter for my SM7B because they (condenser/dynamic) simply have different beneficial characteristics. If you dont understand that yet idk what to tell you. Thanks for the video.
Maxotics is correct. You did not need a cloudlifter. you had plenty of gain. This is a bogus hype, Javier. And, you did not even demonstrate its actual purpose. You should have used an audio interface that had poor gain which needed to be cranked all the way up and the dynamic mike would still be too low and the noise floor would be unbearable. This is a very common real world problem that needs fixing. is the cloudlifter up for the job? Who knows? You did not test for this. I bet a $100 preamp would win in a shootout. Even a $20 impedance transformer would do as well as the cloudlifter. Go ahead, make a real video and compare all three with an audio interface that lacks sufficient gain for a dynamic mic like a common sm58. Your cloudlifter will lose, especially in value, I bet. It would prove this whole video here is just a dubious marketing gimmick. Shame on you.
Which one sounds better and do you think it a Cloudlifter is worth it?
could I use one of these to get the line level needed from my sure sm7 dynamic microphone to go into my golden age tube compressor? it wants a "line level" input signal
@@divinityvrms6743 This question sent me down an unexpected rabbit hole, yet I emerged not much more knowledgable than I was before. First of all, the Cloudlifter appears to be a preamp, but it's phantom powered, so I'm unsure it can provide enough gain to bring your mic up to line-level. I believe what you're looking for is a powered mic preamp, but for the sake of the life of your compressor, I HIGHLY recommend that you consult Golden Age Products as they would be able to provide you the best practices in your compressor's use.
@@xeroexistence such exquisite way of phrasing yourself.
i came
@@xeroexistence Just to clarify this for you : this pre-amp isn't made to be used with microphones requiring phantom-power. It's specifically made to boost either low-gain dynamic microphones such as the SM7b, or ribbon microphones in digital recording facilities. This is mostly used when you have to run long cables in excess of 100 feet, or when using a sub-par mixer or interface that doesn't give you enough gain before starting to sound noisy.
Basically what this does is phantom-powering *itself* - it doesn't phantom-power the microphone. It is made to be used with *passive* microphones. It gives a boost of around +25dB without adding noise or very little - this noise being mostly caused by non-insulated power in project studios and uncontrolled environments. Basically, the phantom-power is used to boost the signal of a passive microphone rather than powering an active microphone, and it works!
I myself used a King Sound DI injecting phantom power "into" a passive microphone to get similar results :) This is unconventional for sure but it does wonders when used the right way, since you gain much of the gain of a condenser but reject the noises of an uncontrolled environment easily.
Jas Bataille Yeah, I was definitely mistaken at the time. I should have known better about the SM7B. Lol.
It's interesting that, how you put it, it "phantom powers itself," though it makes perfect sense, and that's pretty cool. : )
Thanks for the clarification!
I have that combo. The real benefit of the Cloudlifter with an SM7B is appreciated when you want to use the SM7B with a preamp that either doesn't have enough gain or doesn't have a low enough noise floor. For spoken word voice-over it may not make a huge difference, but with stacked vocals in a mix it does.
This comment sold me, I'm officially getting one lol
@@Orrinton Same. Thank you sassulusmagnus, O wise one
@@Orrinton same here
@@nuphone6202 Update I got it, really helps with recording it's a GAIN changer lol
can i use a fethead instead? it's a much cheaper option...
I never understood the purpose of a Cloudlifter. Now I do. Thanks Javier.
Just going to get a cloudlifter! Your video helped me make the call! For my setup, too much noise without it, and even at full gain on my Scarlett 2i2, barely can get a signal with my SM7B. I have to practically eat the mic to get a decent sound without messing a lot with the recording.
I love your dedication to re-enacting the intro every time. Quality side by side comparison! Thanks :)
I heard some bass in your voice with the cloudlifter
You didnt hear bass, the noise level being very low with cloudlifter which consist high end frequencies as soon as the noise clears out u can hear the original sound of sm7b
@@BondBanikthat's crazy
Not a lot of difference when using the first interface, but when you swapped to the older zoom with less gain there was a huge difference in adding the cloud lifter
The lesson I needed from the friend I didn't even know I had. I just ordered a Cloudlifter. Thanks!
👍awesome job
this demonstration was fantastic. your videos are clear, concise, and excellently put together. thank you, kind sir for this glorious contribution to the internet.
I was surprised how subtle the difference is. There's a little more bass and presence with the Cloudlifter; it sounds a bit more EQ'd. But I feel like could replicate that in the box on the non-Cloudlifter. Great video, thanks!
Yup, for sure the cloud lifter adds some EQ and presence that could be added afterwards but I have to say it has been a game changer for me recording these podcasts in none ideal environments with some guests that are unfamiliar with how to talk into these mics. But I’m sure you have amazing pre’s at your disposal to circumvent the noise. Thanks for watching Shawn!
I loved the subtlety yet power of the increase...it went from amateur to pro. You can hear the cloudlifter catching the breaths.
The Cloudlifter is amazing. I have so far wired up the circuitry and made two of my own.
oh i'd love to hear more about this!!
Thank you for making this and for also testing the Zoom H4N after you showed the H6N. I have the H4N and appreciated you taking the time!
Guys, an important note I feel is missed here, because wasn't mentioned enough is the gain difference. As javier showed, the 60 points difference in the second check is massive, and consider getting a cloudlifter to avoid Gain problems, with every audio-interface and preamp you'll use. Great new year people!
This was very informative! The SM7B with the cloudlifter was definitely the better sound one of the two!
It's either the low-cost cloud lifter or crazy expensive preamps. I remember when it came out like ten years ago it was unique for not adding any colour to the sound, The preamps could do it but it wasn't as clean, they add saturation etc.
I was on the fence for the CloudLifter. This video pretty much sealed the deal. Ordered! Thank you, Javi! Eres un monstro!
Glad this could help, I’m sure you will be pleased with the results.
@@JavierMercedes Good sir. I am pleased to announce that the CloudLift, definitely came through. Your review sealed the deal and I have the CloudLift up and running! Subscribed!
Awesome comparison Javier, this really helps illustrate how big of a difference something like this makes to a recording 👍
I bought a Fethead for my h4n setup a few years back, and I used to have so many recordings cranked up almost to 100, but now I'm at a much lower volume where I don't have to deal with the insane hiss from the h4n's preamps.
I'm about to finally upgrade to this mic and you confirmed that I absolutely do want the CL2. Noise floor has been my archnemesis lol
Kelarys you won’t be disappointed then, sometimes the cloudlifter isn’t necessary, but if you are like me - I just want things to work the way they are supposed to and get to creating. Not worrying about whether or not the levels sound great removes that much of friction in the creation process for me that it has been worth the purchase.
The vocal without the Cloudlifter sounded thinner to me, I love the more present low end response in the vocal with the Cloudlifter. Even if it may seem excessive to some, a low cut would help to tame any excess low end leaving you with a more upfront sound. I have the Shure SM7B running through a ISA One into a 2i2 but for a more portable solution I'm looking to get the Cloudlifter. The background noise seemed significantly lower with the Cloudlifter as well, is that due to it being a smaller piece of equipment utilizing less mechanisms that create noise or is it due to other factors? I think this video sealed the deal for me! I appreciate the content my dude, peace!
Glad I could help Nathan, I still use my cloudlifter whenever I can, to me it just adds a little something. But I understand to those that would want to just add more eq in post. This video was just to showcase what the recording sounds like with and without it.
Thank you for this video! Definitely helped clarify my purchase desision.
In the intro of the video I could immediately notice a very clear difference.
Perfect comparison, thank you. Sound exactly the same.
I've literally bough the CL-2 while listening to your video, thanks!
This is def helping with my audio purchasing decisions!
Quite a massive difference, was easy clocking it was B from how much richer/bassier your voice sounds with the Cloudlifter on it. I ended up getting a Soyuz Launcher for my SM7B so I'm super looking forward to trying it head to head with my own voice & seeing how it stacks up :) Heard a lot of good things about that thing and it plain looks cool.
It was interesting to hear how much cleaner the H6 preamp is than the H4N. The cloudlifter really didn’t make much of an audible difference with the H6, but it made a big difference with the H4N.
SHEESH, finally. thank you. someone who actually went through the trouble of doing it rather just cavalierly shutting down no cloudlifter. I've already made the choice and purchased but good content deserves shoutouts so super well done keep pushing you deserve much, much more.
Thanks so much Nick, putting the different options side by side really put the sound in perspective for me. Glad it could show others as well.
I went back and forth, but yesterday I bought the cloud lifter. This video makes me glad that I did! Thanks for it! Hopefully will help some of the new content I'm planning on my channel.
I run a SM7B with a Cloudlifter and a DBX 286s noise gate - It just works SO great in my primary studio! I am getting a second SM7B and of course, a Cloudlifter is standard kit for the SM7B ;>)
Ooo classic setup, I bet it sounds great!
@@JavierMercedes - It sure does - I have a deep bass voice and it just rolls like butter with that setup ;>) Like your channel - Just subbed! You do some great testing and I'm always up for learning new techniques and checking out new gear ;>)
I think tho you have premium sound card as DBX 286s.... Still You need CL right?
@@fatihakturko doubt it honestly, it entirely depends what you are running through, the cloudlifter has -128 ein and it will basically replace the current noise floor of your audio interface.
Great demo, dude! Cleared up some questions
On the H6 - don't think the cloudlifter was really necessary, especially with a bit of compression in post. The H4 - it made a massive difference!
Subtle difference. Cloudlifter makes it deeper, smoother, clearer and louder. And gents: exceptional quality is in these kind of subtle details! Need no more reviews. I'll get that item.
Without CL i hear some white noise, same, but worst, with H4n.
The noise floor practically disappears WITH the cloud lifter... Awesome.
Great video, man. Thanks for clarifying so many doubts I had
this was a helpful video man. im buying one this week for my sm7b. thanks bro
Soo much better with the cloudlifter! Smooth
I agree
Great demo. Really thorough. I only wish we could have compared the noise floors between the two
I just purchased both cannot wait to put them to work!
Legend! Thank you for the comparison.
The sound difference is fairly subtle, but there's more clarity with the Cloudlifter and it sounds more well-rounded, and you've got a lot more headroom. You're far more likely to reach distortion without, with the gain cranked that high; with the Cloudlifter you have a lot more room to increase volume if for some reason you think you need to. Besides, if we can avoid cranking the gain the better overall for all parties involved. Lol.
Hey! Thanks for the video. I think that, overall, I really liked both recordings. However, again it depends on the use. I think that the test with the cloudlifter might be helpful and sounds better in terms of pure vocals/speaking like for podcasts, radio, gaming etc. However, when it comes to singing, I tend to prefer the sound of a shure SM7B, without the cloudlifter. But that's just my personal opinion! Thanks again. (sorry for any potential mistakes, I'm french)
Great video, Javier! Thank you so much
Its like you're in my head. I am stuGGling with the sound on my podcast and ive wondered about getting a cloudlifter... but havent pulled the trigger. Im trying to make sure i have the best possible configuration and levels, And then make the call. But thanks for the info! Much appreciated.
I'd say make sure you have the other things in place solid about the podcast before you make more investments to gear. If you have traction already and know you are going to get a lot of use out of the cloudlifter than I think it would be worth the investment. But even putting the rode close to you or your subject and talking directly into camera may work for now. thanks for watching Jay!
Excellent comparison. Thank you!
1:47 "that's way too loud". Yes, but this is not a problem at all. This is the gain a dynamic mic needs.
The cloudlifter is good but if you are out of budget don't waste your money buying cloudlifter. You only need three things: 1. a Mic 2. A good cable 3. a Recorder or audio interface.
But if you're on a budget, you shouldn't get the sm7b or another mic that doesn't cost 500$ and that's got more gain than the sm7b.
Great review, a lot of people will be searching for stuff like this but again as you said at the end nobody really compains about plosives and other things or would care SM58 versus SM7B if your content is engaging.
For sure, some of the best podcasters out there started out recording in their cars with the iPhone ear buds, but if what you have to say is relevant it will trump the audio anytime...just is nice to have the added benefit of better sounding audio :) thanks for watching Kumar!
Thanks, David Cross!
Stop making me buy stuff! Haha, just kidding, I’ve had my eye on a Cloudlifter for a while. Using SM58 mics into a Zoom H4n Pro here. I record most of my podcasts using a Mackie ProFX8v2 and send the signal to the H4n Pro and it enables me to keep the levels low on the Zoom but when I do anything on location I’d rather not take the mixer and I recently discovered how high I have to set the levels without the board.
Thanks for sharing this, Javier!
Hey man! work with what you have until it makes sense, That setup sounds great! Would love to be a guest sometime!
Javier Mercedes I’ll get with you, maybe we can do something over Skype or just record locally on each end. 👊🏻
In a controlled environment, you’ll have no problem gaining a 7B straight from your Zoom. In post we do a little noise removal and gain about +10.
Any other environment with background won’t get the same effect, and that’s when you want to invest in a Cloudlifter
Thanks for stopping by guys, yup! I’d agree with those specs
Thanks for the free comparison here’s a sub
Def want that cloudlifter! Without it you have to boost up that gain and you get a lot of noise.. that hissing sound.
Well done! I love the quality with the cloud lifter. Good demo.
Came here to get some info on the CL and whether it was worth it when paired with that same mic. YEP!
Glad I could help!
thanks this is helpful especially for H4N owners
can I have the second one? you dont need 2 mics
I don’t understand why modern interfaces don’t have input selections for different microphone impedances. I never have any input gain issues using SM7B or RE20 etc connected to vintage mixers or broadcast consoles.
After listening to the difference with no headphones and with Beyerdynamic headphones I personally don't hear a $150 difference. I currently have a Focusrite Scarlett Solo and don't think I need it due to the fact that I'll have more than enough gain with the microphone. The cloud lifter makes the sound seem a bit more "clean" but not as much as I originally thought it would. I'm going to go with the Cloudlifter not being an essential item for now and if need be I can get one later. Thanks for the video!
Any update? I also have the Focusrite Solo and thinking about getting the sm7b, debating on cloudlifter too.
@@rvs8465 I ended up getting another mic since i couldn't find the Shure SM7b anywhere. The results are still pretty good I have a few videos up on my page for an example if you'd like.
thank you a lot. I def need a cloudlifter
Lift that cloud yoooo! That thing is sweet. Buying it
Ay let me know how it goes Eddy!
Thank you! I definitely heard less noise with the cloudlifter :-)
to me it doesnt seem like i need the cloudlifter. thanks for the video man it really helped!
Thanks for the info!
Thank you, helped a lot
Hey bud! great video, i was wondering if you have to load the audio into your computer and sync to the video with the ZoomH4 ?
great video man!
great test
Thanks for watching!
If I am feeding two Shure SM7B's into an apollo twin do I need a cloudlifter or does the apollo already do that?
I would just try it without and if you need more gain you can always purchase a cloudlifter later
@@JavierMercedes Thanks appreciate it
great review
When I cranked it up, I could definitely hear the hiss of the mic without the Cloudlifter. What I don't understand is how exactly the Cloudlifter does it's magic. Is there a battery inside?
Hey your low cut switch is on with the one without the cloudlifter. The lack of clarity in the low end was the only thing I noticed in most cases and I feel like that's the reason.
Im def going to cop a pre for the sm7b after watching this. I did come across another brand tho, the FETHEAD. Would be nice to see a comparison between the two. Which would you recommend? Thanks!
What about for beatboxing cloudlifter or none?
Grate video . 👌🏻
Thank you Adrenaline films!
Awesome vid mate! Just learned about this amazing Mic. Saw from one video where this guy said that you don't really need the cloud lifter... It's all about how close you go to the mic. Is this correct?
i feel like the cloudlifter is clearer but without is a warmer voice, just my opinion
for me with the cloudlifter, there is less bass in the voice but more medium so the cloudlifter is a matter of taste.
Those are pretty different angles on the mics though is my only concern
Wow, what a difference. Is the cloudlifter better than a fethead?
Now the only question I have is whether to get the CL-1 or CL-2... or CL-Z...
This was very helpful. And yes the cloud lifter is much better. I’m considering getting a preamp too. 🤔
I'm using a SE DM1 DYNAMITE it has a 25 DB gain. I'm using it with a Cr 77. The people saying they don't see the different. They're missing the point. The use is in gain in DB and filtering. With less movement in the dial, which equals less hiss and gain in clarity. VOLUME at less movement in the dial. Cleaner then condense mics also.
respecc to this guy for buying two shure sm7b there like 400 usd each
This is literally the exact video I needed! Quick question, the SMB 7 sounds terrible without the cloud lifter as you have shown in this video, but why does my road NTG2 sound so good with my zoom h4n? Is it because of that little battery that it has in the mic?
Thank you man thats exactly the test I needed before purchasing CloudLifter CL1... Do you think I can get a similar result with a Triton Fethead ?
How much better is it with the cloudlifter or without the cloudlifter
Is it useful to use it live or only in the studio?
The purpose of the cloudlifter is to reduce the noise level. It does not make sense when you ask which setup sounds better - with or without cloudlifter. Instead of talking to microphone you’d better be silent and compare the noise levels instead. Decision of wether or not using cloudlifter should be based on how noisy your audio interface is at high gain. In your case, the cloudlifter may be useful because Zoom interfaces are notorious for being noisy at high gain which you have to set when using dynamic microphone. The cloudlifter allows you reducing Zoom gain and therefore increasing signal to noise ratio.
The one without sounds better.
Edit: please do the same test with cheaper microphones.
Thanks Alinutz, that is a great idea for a video.
🤔 So, I totally agree with using a Cloudlifter or FetHead when the noise floor isn't that low. The H4N has what an EIN of -115 dBu? The H6 has -120 dBU. But do you think there's any real benefit for the cost with something like the F4/F8 that have -127 dBu?
Joshua Verwers nope, I used the F8 with the SM7B going directly into it for many podcasts back when I was the engineer of theCHIVE podcast. Sounded and worked like a charm without the cloud lifter. I’d say it’s comparable to how the h6 sounds here. It’s not necessary but nice. And the f8 is zoom’s top of the line field recorder so I think it has the gusto to get the job done sans any cloudlifter.
@@JavierMercedes okay, that's refreshing to know. I don't really need all that comes with the F8, but for the price of even a couple Zoom H recorders (for redundancy) and cloud lifters, I can get a new F4 which has most of the best parts of the F8 for half the price. 👍🏻
thanks for this video. I think im going to get a cloudlifter. 👍
Do we need a cloudlifter with the F3?
Or would it be suggestible?
Maybe it's just me but I can't really tell the difference between WITH or WITHOUT cloudlifter for the H6.
I do my podcasts with inexpensive handheld mics. Like this mic 🎤. Would I see benefits if I purchased one of these ?
Nope, just keep with your setup.
What is the focusrite for? I see that you don't use it here. Or the nandy does that job?
So would you recommend buying with the cloud lifter?
Without sounds better for streaming etc.. I like how not loud it is
This is great
Thanks Andre! Glad you liked it.
I don't get it. If the preamp's job is to bring an electronic voltage up to line-level why would one need a Cloudlifter? If the preamp is "strong" enough to bring up the SM7B's voltage to line-level, then is the signal digitally gained by the computer worse than a signal pre-gained by the Cloudlifter? It didn't seem that you did that test. To compare audio using the Cloudlifter with a weak preamp, against the weak-preamp without it, seems irrelevant because isn't the same as having a recorder with a good-preamp to begin with? Further, I didn't understand the phantom voltage benefit. Isn't phantom voltage only used in condenser mics NOT dynamic mics, of which the SM7B is one. And if you're calling phantom power the power that drives the Cloudlifter than isn't the concept of phantom power being mangled (that is, you're calling pre-amp power phantom power)? It seems to me the weakness of dynamic mics is they need enough sound pressure to create voltage. One needs to be close to the mic. They are not forgiving like condenser mics. So seems to me that the cloudlifter simply makes the SM7B more like a condenser mic for weak preamp equipment. So if that is the case, why not just get a condenser to begin with? Or talk close to the SM7B and always use a good preamp/recorder? Again, I'm no expert. But seems to me, the Cloudlifter is more wish-fulfillment than what I'd call real equipment. I wouldn't expect it to create a better signal. If it did, what do they know that preamp designers don't? It only creates a more usable one with weak equipment. You don't seem to have weak equipment, so not sure what you're trying to achieve?
Lots in this comment, I like your thinking on the “turning the SM7B into a condenser” concept. On the topic of weak pre-amps. I had the same thoughts as you before testing out the cloudlifter. My H6 sounds fine after recording 150 podcasts in a plethora of environments - how could this make it sound better if the gain nob if just turned to 4 instead of 7-6? And if you can’t hear a difference in the example with my h6 then really there is no reason to get a cloudlifter. But I was skeptical until I heard the references back to back and my mind was blown. The signal from the cloudlifter is colored a tad but I think in an amazing way. The other thing is the noise floor. After doing a number of podcasts with the cloudlifter I noticed that I don’t have to add as much noise reduction in post and I don’t have to work as hard to get the mic to bite down on the source. Which leads us back to condenser mic comment, I could use condensers and until I tested it I can’t say which way would be better but my opinion would be that I would get way too much room in my sound. I need the proximity effect from the dynamic mic to help isolate the signal source. The h6 is a great recorder and life would be great in ideal world if I could use an even more expensive pre all the time for my content, but I am constantly on the road filming and having a setup that doesn’t require a wall port is more important to me as the consumer. Thus I will still use my h6 now with the cloudlifter. Also me speculating with the phantom power bit, but I’m sure there are electronics within the cloudlifter that require phantom in order for it to work. Condenser mics are not the only thing that require phantom power, high end DI boxes like the ones made Radial also require phantom power to operate correctly if a recall. I hope that helps, like I said if the difference in sound isn’t even noticeable than there is no need to talk specs, but to me it’s the intangibles of A/B testing and just saying “huh, that sounds better than I thought it was going to” And not having to work as hard in post also is a plus for me
@@JavierMercedes Like others who have commented, if you say, "this is what I use for my podcasts", then you had me at "this is what I use..."! I guess my quibble with the video was that it tried to test differences of overall quality which I believe do not exist. That is, for low sound pressure voice work, the cloudlifter optimizes the SM7B's signal before the pre-amp. It doesn't improve the signal in accuracy, it improves the signal through what we might call 'voice coloring'. LIke you say, it saves you time in post. That's would be worth a few hundred dollars to me! My guess is that Shure optimized the hardware of this microphone for singing, not the spoken word (no podcasts back then!). And if someone was talking into it, instead of singing, like for radio, they were professionals who knew how to get the best out of the mic. I watch some of your videos and marvel and how you get good audio when someone is leaning back and generally moving out of that mic's range (IMHO). So yes, I agree with you that a condenser could improve that aspect but would give you another set of problems to deal with. And again, what you get out of those SM7Bs! Sweet! I guess, in the end, what I was trying to say is be careful going down that testing/comparing route with equipment. Too many people believe in free-lunches, or believe the manufacturer made a mistake which someone else fixed. The Cloudlifter doesn't fix the SM7B, in my opinion; it only make a set of trade-offs one needs to very specific applications. A cloudlifter may be great for the spoken word, but what it does to the coloring and noise floor is probably (my guess) a negative if you used the mic to record an electric guitar, say. So, again, just my little opinion, if you were to do this type of video again I would make sure to present both the positives and negatives of the equipment and how you chose a certain configuration for your needs and how it would also might be a negative in other applications. You don't want one of your viewers to buy a Cloudlifter because they think it makes the SM7B better, in general. Right? Does that make sense? So maybe the title could be "Comparing the Shure SM7B with and without a CloudLifter for Portable Podcast Recording"
The cloudlifter is what, 100 bucks? That to me is a very cost effective way to get 'clean gain' out of the SM7B. A cost effective way to turn this iconic dynamic mic, into a 'condenser capable' sounding mic if that makes sense. It seems to assist in helping vocalists not have to exert unnecessary energy, which has its own array of benefits. Sure, the coloring may add work for the engineer, but it seems to be easy work as a slight low end eq cut would mostly negate the coloring the cloudlifter adds, as it adds a bit of bass simply put. Much easier carving those frequencies than trying to cut the noise out of a mix. Just my 2 cents. And to your question, why wouldnt one just get a condenser to begin with? Maybe the SM7B was all they had? In that case the cloudlifter makes perfect sense. Cloudlifter also to me, gives that added radio 'podcast' sound naturally. And I wont even start on the benefits of condenser vs dynamic. I have both types, and will still be buying a cloudlifter for my SM7B because they (condenser/dynamic) simply have different beneficial characteristics. If you dont understand that yet idk what to tell you. Thanks for the video.
Maxotics is correct. You did not need a cloudlifter. you had plenty of gain. This is a bogus hype, Javier. And, you did not even demonstrate its actual purpose. You should have used an audio interface that had poor gain which needed to be cranked all the way up and the dynamic mike would still be too low and the noise floor would be unbearable. This is a very common real world problem that needs fixing. is the cloudlifter up for the job? Who knows? You did not test for this. I bet a $100 preamp would win in a shootout. Even a $20 impedance transformer would do as well as the cloudlifter. Go ahead, make a real video and compare all three with an audio interface that lacks sufficient gain for a dynamic mic like a common sm58. Your cloudlifter will lose, especially in value, I bet. It would prove this whole video here is just a dubious marketing gimmick. Shame on you.
I can’t hear my vocals at all without a cloud lifter. Is my shure sm7b broken?
HUGE difference in noise reduction wow
for sure! =)